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Federal Judge Orders Teachers To Apologize To Agnostic Texas Family

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SAN ANTONIO (AP/CBSDFW.COM) – A judge in San Antonio has ordered two educators to apologize to an agnostic family in a lingering school prayer dispute.

Chief U.S. District Judge Fred Biery on Monday ordered Medina Valley Independent School District Superintendent James Stansberry and band director Keith Riley to apologize. The judge declined to hold them in contempt.

The San Antonio Express-News reports the men allegedly made public comments critical of the family of ex-student Corwyn Schultz after a February settlement. The family, of Castroville, had sued but failed to stop prayers at last June’s graduation ceremony.

The district agreed school employees would not pray with students or elicit prayer in class, plus not disparage the Schultz family.

In an interview, Corwyn Schultz cited the constitutional separation of church and state as the primary reason his family was opposed to prayer at the public school graduation.

The district declined comment about Monday’s order, which requires the Schultz family to accept the apologies.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS Local. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All Rights Reserved.)